Jesus was tested by a certain lawyer (Luke 10:25) concerning His interpretation of Law. The lawyer's own interpretation gave him an excuse for his dislike for the Samaritans. His demand to know whom he must love exposed a life which was governed by religious rules and regulations.

The sufferer who fell among thieves which stripped him and left him half dead was A . . . man (10:30) — nothing more. The others are designated by profession or nationality, but this man had no label around his neck to label him as neighbour (10:29). The Samaritan acted as a neighbor prompted by his heart and not his prejudices. He was generous and self-denying when he saw someone who had fallen among thieves, which . . . wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. This certain Samaritan . . . went to him, and bound up his wounds . . . and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him (10:30-34).

Both a priest and a Levite had also seen this dying man and should have been first to show compassion. Instead, they avoided him — perhaps justifying their cruel indifference with excuses that they did not want to even temporarily disqualify themselves from serving God in His Temple if the man died in their arms (see Num. 19:11-19).

The nationality of the helper must not be overlooked. Samaritans were descendants of the poorest Israelites left behind in Israel during the exile. Those Israelites had intermarried with the Gentiles brought in by the Assyrians who had defeated the Northern Kingdom.

This parable leaves no doubt as to who is my neighbour (10:29); it brushes away all prejudices of race, all differences of creed, all enmities rooted in history. One is your Master . . . and all ye are brethren (Matt. 23:8).

This despised Samaritan responded with a Christ like love which others lacked because of their theological dogmatism.

The characteristic mark of genuine love is to ask if the neighbor needs love rather than if he deserves it. The lawyer inquired: "Who is my neighbor?" But the Samaritan asked quite another question: "To whom can I be a neighbor?"

Give none offence . . . Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved (I Cor. 10:32-33).

Thought for Today:

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth (I John 3:18).